In a career spanning three decades, LAURENCE ANHOLT has produced over 200 books, which are published in more than 30 languages. His books span every age from baby board books to adult crime. They have won numerous awards, including the Historical Association Young Quills Award and the prestigious Nestlé Smarties Gold Award on two occasions.
Laurence's self‐illustrated ANHOLT'S ARTISTS series is an introduction to great artists for young children. This multi-million selling series is sold in galleries and museums throughout the world. The books, which include FRIDA KAHLO AND THE BRAVEST GIRL IN THE WORLD, CAMILLE AND THE SUNFLOWERS, DEGAS AND THE LITTLE DANCER and THE MAGICAL GARDEN OF CLAUDE MONET have taken Laurence on many fascinating journeys of discovery. Each scrupulously researched story is based on an actual encounter between a real child and a great artist. In several instances, Laurence has been assisted by relatives of the artists or by the protagonists themselves - for example, Laurence developed a long-standing friendship with Sylvette David, Picasso's Girl With a Ponytail. This series has been adapted in many forms including operas and a full scale van Gogh musical in Korea. The Anholt's Artists books are renowned not only for their educational value, but also for their life-affirming themes of aspiration, tolerance and acceptance of those who are different.
To mark 30 years of the ANHOLT'S ARTISTS series, Anholt collaborated with the esteemed art publishing house, Taschen to create a stunning 336-page hardback anthology, SMALL STORIES OF GREAT ARTISTS, launched in September 2024. This was the first children's title on the Taschen list and it was greeted by universal acclaim - the Telegraph described the book as "the jewel in (Anholt's) vast bibliography.”
Titles such as the hilarious SERIOUSLY SILLY STORIES and numerous picture books, illustrated by his wife, the artist Catherine Anholt have sold millions of copies over the years.
Anholt's first Young Adult novel, THE HYPNOTIST was published by Penguin Random House in October 2016 to great acclaim. A tale of prejudice and tolerance set in the Deep South of America in 1963, The Hypnotist was described by the Guardian as "Full of suspense and heartbreak." THE HYPNOTIST was officially endorsed by Amnesty International who called it "a passionate, important novel." The book was the overall winner of the Historical Association Young Quills Award 2017. It has been nominated for the Carnegie Medal and shortlisted for 6 major fiction awards.
Anholt's adult crime series, the MINDFUL DETECTIVE has been described as ‘Broadchurch meets Fargo’. A startlingly original and funny set of three books, featuring a Buddhist detective, DI Vincent Caine, who feels too much for his own good!
Born in 1959 to an Anglo Dutch family with Persian roots, Laurence Anholt spent his early years in Holland where he developed a lasting love of Art. He went on to study Fine Art, culminating in a Master's Degree from the Royal Academy of Art in London.
For more than a decade, Laurence has been amongst the top 200 Most Borrowed Authors from UK libraries across all genres. He was included in the Independent on Sunday's Top 10 Children's Authors in the UK and was described by William Watt as "one of the most versatile authors writing for children today".
The Anholts live and work in a house on a hill overlooking the sea near Lyme Regis in the west of England. Laurence's passions are family, art, books, bees and Buddhism.
